Views From a Conservative Woman Regarding Women's Health

As a women’s
health writer and blogger, I stay away from politics for obvious reasons.
It’s not that I’m apolitical. I’m
not. I have very strong political
beliefs. It’s just that I don’t see the
value in politicizing
women’s health. Unfortunately, as we
all know, our politicians don’t have a problem doing that at all. Neither do pharmaceutical companies,
insurance companies, and various and sundry other organizations and groups,
which stand to gain a great deal by doing so.

At this stage in my life, though I am a registered
Independent voter, I lean in a very definite right direction in my political
beliefs. However, as a former
left-leaning, liberal thinker, I also hold what many conservatives consider
liberal views on a few hot political topics. As a result, I believe I have a unique perspective on women’s health
issues, particularly as they pertain to politics.

I am very passionate about women’s health, and it pains me
when I see political parties using our health issues to gain political
leverage. It pains me even more when
women stand against each other as a result.

I am very aware that when I say out loud that I am a
conservative woman, many people -- far too many people -- will make assumptions
about who I am and what I believe about women’s health. But I’m here to tell you, that likely 99% of
those assumptions will be dead wrong.

For example: I have
had two abortions. I have also given
birth to three children, and I will tell you without hesitation that I am at
this stage in my life, very pro-life. However, I do not wish to take away from women their right to make that choice.

Having walked down that road, I know full well that women
who have abortions are not foaming at the mouth to murder their baby. Yes, I know the pro-life arguments, and I do
believe that life begins at conception. But, I also believe that unless you walk a mile in someone else’s shoes,
you do not know the weight of the burden they carry.

So if you are politically liberal, you might call me pro-life. If you are politically conservative, you
might call me pro-choice. I would call
me a woman who understands first hand that life is rarely cut and dry or black and
white; and that we all, even if it is only in one tiny area of our life, live
with various shades of gray.

So, in this hot political season (which is only poised to
get even hotter), as a passionate women’s health advocate, I would like to
appeal to my sisters on both sides of the aisle. Let's stand together in
solidarity around our issues, and let's not allow politicians with their
self-serving political agendas to divide and conquer us. While we may disagree about who we wish to
see in the White House in 2013, I think we all agree that no one can speak for
us better than we can speak for ourselves.

Let us not let politics and politicians dilute
our voices.

Magnolia Miller is a
certified healthcare consumer advocate in women’s health and a women’s
freelance health writer and blogger at The
Perimenopause Blog.

Recommended for You

This is a subject that is not going away anytime soon. Not for politicians. Not for women. Not for men. Not for anyone. While I sincerely hope the new healthcare law will ultimately help those it is intended to help. I also believe it is going to...

I think it’s safe to say at this point, that until Congress gets its act together and the current political bloodbath regarding the new healthcare law is over, nobody knows exactly what the Affordable Care Act will mean for them or their health...

There has been a quiet but steady movement in the healthcare industry for about 10 years or so now, which is only going to continue to grow and expand. With the passing of the Affordable Care Act, it is absolutely the wave of the future in Wes...

As a health blogger, I probably spend an inordinate amount of time griping and kvetching about our medical system. But there’s a good reason for that. Much of my bellyaching has been due to what I have felt was a lack of adequate care and a...

Healthline’s mission is to make the people of the world healthier through the power of information. We do this by creating quality health information that is authoritative, approachable, and actionable.

Join more than 30 million monthly visitors like you and let Healthline be your guide to better health.